and after all this time, you give me butterflies
by CuddlyCookie1360
Summary: He doesn't expect to see her again after she chases him down a hallway and corners him in a tower and he escapes through a painting. Heck, he barely expects them to become friends while on their journey. They argue too much, they don't have any common interests, and they're from two completely different worlds. But he finds that maybe, just maybe, that can change.


**Front Notes :**

***so i love me lots of development so this is way longer than it should've been ️**

***ive never actually written romance quite like this so uhh sjjajajsjs**

***ummm i wrote this all in one sitting, it took about six hours and i stayed up till 5 am but we don't talk about that**

***i still can't consistently use either past or present tense, i tried to fix it so it's all in present tense like i want but i probably missed something somewhere**

***why does adding the italics back in take almost as long as writing the thing**

***also i know you're not supposed to use very but it fits and it's either that or 'really' so whauhigavyu**

***frick i use 'kinda' a lot more than i should and throw 'and' into every sentence but will i fix it? no**

***title comes from perfect day (a true story)- gabbie hanna**

* * *

He's walking through the hallways after his meeting with King Harrow, feeling weighed down by the letter in his backpack and the sudden very real possibility that he may never see him again, when he hears a rush of air go by.

"Ez, is that you?" he asks, peering through one of the halls, because he's not sure who else it would be and he really needs to find him and apologize. Seeing nothing, he turns to the other hallway and calls out, "Hello?" like the person chasing him will respond. Since no one replies, he continues on his merry way, trying hard to keep the possible last image of King Harrow from his mind and focus on getting back to his room.

A few seconds later, he hears the subtle_ shink_ of metal and tapping of light footsteps behind him. He figures it's just Ezran going to pull a prank on him again, so he humors him and keeps walking. When the footsteps get loud enough that he's close by, Callum says, "You know you can't sneak up on me," and turns around.

He sure wasn't expecting a figure clad in blue and green with a hood over their head and very big, very pointy twin swords in their hands. He instinctually puts his hands up in surrender and lets out an embarrassing sound of surprise. Seeing no reason to continue hiding, the figure pulled down their hood. Violet eyes pierced through his, and white hair lined the girl's face. Her most notable traits were the plum purple marks on her cheeks, pointed ears, and small horns on top of her head. An elf. One of the assassins, no less.

Panicking, he begins to apologize, "Uh, uh, you're not who I thought you..." but then he realizes he shouldn't be apologizing to one of the_ assassins,_ "you're one of those, with the pointy..."

She smirks, which sets him on edge. "Oh, you don't like my ears?"

He wasn't expecting her voice to sound so... outlandish, but it does sound kinda _nice_. And he had been more focused on the fact that she is an _assassin_ than her being an elf. "No," he says at first in disagreement, but then he realizes that it sounds like him saying he doesn't like her ears, which he kind of finds intriguing. "I mean, yeah. Yes, I do, I guess. I meant the pointy swords."

She points one of her pointy swords at him. "That's far enough. I'm looking for someone."

He needs a plan, and fast. "Oh. Uh, did you check back there?"

He points to a random spot behind her but focuses on the curtain nearby. She tries not to peek over, but eventually she does, and he rushes forward and pulls it down and over her. She yelps as he starts to mad-dash away, loosing precious time as he nearly trips over his own two feet. He knows that as soon as she breaks out of the trap, she'll be able to catch up with him in half a second, so he books it for the towers where he knows guards are posted.

He hears the tearing of the curtain behind him, and he pulls down one of the suits of armor. He doubts it'll do much to stop her, but it's worth a shot. He hears her flipping over his back as he runs up the stairs, taking them two at a time. He reaches the tower and passes by some of the guards. Once he's safely behind them, he informs them, "She's right behind me!" and points to the entryway.

The guards ready their swords, and Callum backs away. He's not looking for a fight, and they can protect him well enough. The assassin flicks her blades and charges forward. He knows he should be running, he has some common sense, but part of him is intrigued enough to stick around.

She flips around their attacks and then jumps into the air, twirling around in a spiral and landing on the other side. Although she's trying to kill him, he can't help but be amazed. None of the human guards do anything like that; they kinda just wear heavy armor and sit around. She tucks her blades under their shoes and flicks them up, and the guards topple forwards. His jaw drops.

"Hey, you swept the leg!" he shouts, reveling in the fact that Soren was wrong about something.

"What?" she questions, and when she turns around, he's reminded of what she came there to do.

"Uh, nothing," he replies. They stare at each other for a few seconds, and he decides now would be a good time to start running. She chases after him.

He runs up the spiral steps of a tower, and he can feel the wind brush by and he knows she's hot on his heels. He calls out, "Lord Viren! Claudia! Anyone!" hoping that someone will hear and come save him. He doesn't want to die. Not yet.

She shoves into him and he stumbles forwards, crashing against a table. His backpack is thrown to the side, and it stings his back and he thinks he hit his head, but he's got bigger problems to worry about. With nowhere left for him to run, the assassin strides towards him, blades out to the side. The light of sunset streams in behind her, illuminating the silver of her swords and hair. Her violet eyes seem to glimmer in her determined glare, and she looks almost like an image that he would sketch.

He knows he shouldn't be thinking about it right now, but the thought of _'she's pretty,'_ flashes through his mind.

Her next words of, "You don't have to die," shut down those thoughts as quickly as they come. She walks over to him, standing close enough to touch him with her swords if she wanted to. "There are only two targets tonight."

Did he hit his head really hard or did she say two? "Wait, two? What do you mean?"

"I'm here for the king," she answers. "And I'm also here for his son, Prince Ezran."

Callum's heart leaps in his throat, and his stomach drops.

Not his brother. Ezran was far too kind and much too young to die that night. He still had yet to finish school, or be a teenager, or go to all of the human kingdoms. He still hadn't eaten all of the jelly tarts in Katolis or gone on a horseback trail with Soren or help Callum write his comic. Ezran was ten. Ten years old. He couldn't die, not yet.

And Ezran was his brother, regardless of whether they had the same father or not. He was all he had left of his mother. She couldn't take him away from him. He couldn't fathom a life without Ezran, who told him stories of animals in the wood and came to him when it was stormy outside and the thunder was loud and lightning was bright and went on late night jelly tart heists with him and got him sick because he took care of him. He was his brother, his little brother. He didn't deserve such a cruel fate. He couldn't die. He wouldn't die. Callum wouldn't allow it.

"You can't. That's not fair. Why would you hurt someone who's done nothing wrong?" he asks, desperately hoping that maybe, just maybe, he can convince her not to. Maybe, just maybe, she'll be reasonable. She'll see that she can't kill an innocent kid.

"Humans cut down the King of the Dragons and destroyed his only egg, the Dragon Prince," she replies, pushing her sword towards his throat. "Justice will not be denied."

"I see," he says, because he gets it, even though he tries not to. Of course the elves would want revenge for their fallen king. If Ezran was randomly killed by elves, Callum would want revenge against them too. It makes sense, even though it's not fair. Ezran didn't kill the Dragon King. Ezran didn't even know that much about dragons! He didn't deserve to be slaughtered because the adults had made terrible decisions.

He thinks about Ezran, and how much he means to the King, to Katolis, to himself. Ezran is kind and smart and brave and strong, and he has so much to offer the world and so much more left to live. Ezran can't die. He can't.

So Callum makes a decision, looks up, and declares, "Well, then, you've found me. I am Prince Ezran."

The assassin narrows her eyes, and fear passes through Callum. There's suddenly a very cold reality that he might die within the next few minutes, and he doesn't want to die, not yet, but more than anything, he doesn't want Ezran to die. He scrambles back, trying to prolong his life for even just a few more minutes, and the elf follows him. He hits a wall.

"I have to do this. I'm sorry," she says, and Callum sees something close to regret in her eyes. "I don't want to, but I have to."

"Why?" he exclaims. "You know this is wrong."

She's quick to snap, "An assassin doesn't decide right and wrong, only life and death."

He blanches. "That's very clever, but come on, really? How does this solve anything?"

"This is justice. Humans attacked us unprovoked."

"So it's okay for you to do the same thing?"

She draws her blade back for a second. "Well, no," she agrees, and he thinks for a second that he's convinced her. "It's not the same thing, because we're attacking you provoked." She returns her blade to his head.

"Then it's a cycle. You hurt me, someone will get revenge against the elves. It won't end."

"Callum," he hears, muffled behind something, and panic rises in his throat. "Psst, Callum!"

"Shh, go away," he tries to subtlety say, but the elf raises an eyebrow and peers down at him.

"I found something," Ezran reports, clearly not understanding what 'go away' means.

"Are you talking to that painting?" the assassin asks, looking at him as if to say _'humans are strange.'_

He chuckles nervously and waves her off. "Uh, why would I do that? Cause it's not a good time!"

"You mean, because you're with a girl?" Ezran asks, and Callum almost facepalms. Almost. The assassin wanders over to the painting while keeping her eyes and sword trained on Callum, and his heart pounds. She flicks open the painting to reveal a stone passageway and his little brother holding Bait and a jelly tart.

"Uh..." he says, and then he offers her the treat. "Jelly tart?"

"Kid, get out of here," Callum says, in a last ditch effort to get Ezran away and to safety.

"Callum, what's going on?" They didn't have the best coordination, however.

"Callum?" The assassin questions. "I thought you were Prince Ezran. You lied to me!"

He puts his hands up in surrender. "Okay, how is that worse than trying to kill someone?"

Ezran munches on the jelly tart, and both their heads turn to him. He holds up Bait. "Have you met Bait? Say hello to my little friend."

Bait begins glowing bright yellow and blue, and Callum gets the hint and closes his eyes. A flash of light blinds them all, and he hears the assassin yelp and drop her blades. When the light dies down, Ezran says, "Callum, follow me. I have to show you something."

Realizing that Ezran _did_ finally get the hint, Callum picks up his backpack, and without another glance at the elf, he runs for the passage. Ezran closes the entrance behind them. Relief rushes through him, and as they walk away, he thinks he won't ever end up seeing that elf again.

Well, he thought wrong.

* * *

He hasn't known the elf, Rayla, for long, and he's aware he's denser than a pile of bricks, but even he picks up on her disdain for water. She keeps low to the floor of the boat and looks utterly miserable and like she'd rather be anywhere else. He can relate in a sense; he really hates long carriage rides and always feels sick when it goes over bumps. Ezran or the King are usually there to distract him, and he thinks that's just what she needs. A distraction.

They've barely know each other for a day. They aren't close at all; they're barely acquaintances and _certainly_ not friends, she did try to _kill_ him, but he doesn't like seeing her sickly and downcast. He also feels bad for putting her in that situation in the first place even though they both know that the boat is indeed faster and can't be tracked. He figures the least he can do was try to make their trip more enjoyable for her.

"Bait loves the water, but he should be afraid of it," he says while rowing. He leans forward. "You wanna know why he's named Bait?"

Rayla groans and sits up reluctantly, as if the sound of his voice grates on her ears. "Not really."

"Well, I'm gonna tell you anyway," he exclaims. "It's kind of a sick joke, I guess. Glow toads? They're apparently... delicious."

"Gross," she replies, looking at Bait in disgust.

"Deep-sea fisherman use them to catch fish, stuff like that," he continues. "That's why he's named Bait," he chuckles. "Get it? That's my stepdad's sense of humor. But, yeah, that's why we have to be extra careful about him not getting in the water."

Ezran marches over. "Guys, he doesn't know how delicious he is, so shh."

Bait groans behind him. Ezran quickly changes his tone. "And that's how the noodle got its name."

Callum and Rayla share a look, like '_what is he on about?'_ But then Rayla returns to dry heaving and gagging over the side of the boat, and Ezran preens Bait. Callum looks at her with concern. "You doing alright?"

"I'm doing great," she replies. She was in fact, not doing great. She groans again. "I just love boats so much. That's why I'm down here. To be close to the boat." She gags for the millionth time that boat ride, and Callum feels awful for putting her in that position. He needs to make it up somehow. He looks back at Ezran and thinks about all those horrible carriage rides, and he remembers a game Ezran and King Harrow used to have him play to distract him.

"Tell you what," he says. "I'm going to ask you five questions."

"Please don't."

"Come on! It'll be a fun distraction, help take your mind off things."

Rayla sighs. "Five questions, that's all you get."

"Okay, question one." He thinks long and hard about it. He only has five questions, five chances to learn something new about their new companion, and he needs to use them wisely. "We always heard all these crazy things about Xadia. Like, it was this place with just... magic everywhere. Is that really what it's like?"

Rayla brightens for a second, and he thinks he might get a detailed answer. "Yes. Next question."

Oh no, he's not letting that subject drop. He's been curious about Xadia ever since they started on their journey, and this may be his one chance to learn something about it. "It must be so weird that everywhere you look there's magic," he comments.

"It's not weird," she replies, and he celebrates in his head that he's gotten somewhere. "In Xadia, magic is pretty much in everything." She leans over the side of the boat, not because she's sick, but because she's wondering, and Callum feels accomplishment flutter through his chest. "It's no different from saying, 'everywhere you look, there's nature.' It's just part of the vibrancy or spirit of things, you know?"

No, he didn't know, but he wasn't about to ruin the fond look on her face. "I can't wait to see that. It sounds incredible," he says, going over and sitting on the seat near her.

"Yeah. Yeah, it is," she responds, smiling adoringly. He can't help but think she looks much nicer with a smile on her face. Not that she doesn't look nice all of the time, but he thinks he likes seeing her happy more.

Callum leans over the side of the boat next to her. "See, it's working, right? Don't you feel a little better?"

"Maybe so," she answers, grinning at him playfully, and he thinks maybe, just maybe, she might hate him a little less.

* * *

He knows he's an idiot when he goes out in the storm. He knows it probably won't fix anything or bring anything back to him (and it doesn't), but there's always a chance. He tries to feel the hum of electricity in the air and lightning in the sky, but wind and the cold block his senses. The lightning rod only makes things worse, and if he wanted to feel electricity and lightning, he certainly did. There's a seed of doubt when Zym remains curled up after the strike, but he sees electricity foam around his mouth and he knows he's fine. Callum isn't so lucky.

He'll admit he did set his hopes up a little to high, and disappointment was inevitable, but he can't help but be jealous of Zym's new abilities and his lack of them. His heart is heavy as he trudges back to the boat. All he got out of it was soaked clothes, a hole in his heart, and a dragon that was too lazy to walk back.

Rayla and Ezran dash out to meet him when he returns, just as the sun begins to rise. "Callum, what happened?" Ezran questions.

He thinks he can't face them, he can't; they'll no doubt call him an idiot, which he already knows he is, but he also feels too heavy and weighed down to care. "We went into the heart of the storm," he explains, "and Zym... he got struck by lightning."

Although Callum knows he's fine, he still plays up the panic in his voice. It hurts to make them hurt, and their horrified gasps rip bigger holes in his heart, but Zym wiggles in his arms and he can't help but smile a little. "But I think he's okay."

Zym perks up, finally, and lightning zaps from his mouth. Ezran laughs, relieved, and takes the dragon from Callum's arms and snuggles him close. Electricity pours out of Zym's mouth as he chitters.

Rayla wanders over to him. "What's wrong?"

"I feel stupid," he says bluntly, because why dart around the issue when he could just state the facts. He hates admitting it, but he tells her, "You were right." He turns away.

"Callum..."

He can't stop talking now. Words pour out of his mouth. "I could've gotten Zym killed. I put us both in danger. And worst of all, when we were right there, in the center of the storm, I thought I wanted this badly enough, but in the end, I didn't have the guts."

God, he feels so _stupid._ He accomplished nothing and only put himself and the_ Dragon Prince_ in danger, and for what? Soaking clothes and numbness in his heart?

He feels weight drop onto his shoulder, and he follows it to see Rayla's soft expression. She turns him around towards her. "Good," she says, and he's not sure whether she leans into him or she pulls him into her, but she rests her hand on his back and her head on his shoulder in a hug.

He's surprised at first. They've known each other for a little over a week, hardly long enough to become close friends, and they don't have anything in common and they fight a lot and they come from opposite worlds and they're so completely _different,_ but he can't think about that when Rayla is pressed up against him and it feels right. She feels right. And so he wraps his arms around her back too and holds her gently.

It's a sign of their friendship, he thinks, and a little spark of joy returns to his heart.

* * *

"Run!" Callum shouts, and Rayla and Zym don't need to be told twice. The trio starts booking it across the stones, trying desperately to reach the other side before the sun rises and light covers the runes. Callum doesn't think about the pull in his legs or sweat building under his scarf, only the rising panic because oh god, it was getting lighter, and they might not make it-

And they don't. They almost,_ almost_ reach the edge, but they're too far away to jump or guess the rest of the runes, and Xadia is _right there,_ just out of their reach. Sunlight filters through the gap in the rocks ahead, and Callum thinks that's the first time he hasn't been grateful to see it. Rayla and him pause, searching for some way to get across, but Callum can't focus on anything but the heat under his shoes and anxiety bubbling in his chest. Behind his feet, Zym chitters.

The baby dragon jumps up onto Callum's shoulders, and he's too surprised to complain about his claws digging into his scalp. Callum feels the whoosh of air as Zym starts flapping his wings. He pushes off Callum's head and soars into the sky.

"He's flying!" Callum shouts, and next to him, Rayla hollers I'm encouragement. A thread of optimism loops around his heart when he realizes what he's trying to do. They watch as he gets closer to Xadia, flying a little crooked but pretty graceful for a first real try.

"He's trying to block the sun!" Rayla points out, although Callum had figured it out already. Hope brews in his throat.

But then Zym starts losing altitude, and he and Rayla gasp. Zym skims across the rocks, hopping from one to another as they sink into the pit of lava. Panic builds in Callum's chest, as well as a feeling he can't place.

"He isn't going to make it!" Rayla worries, and she's right. But Callum feels the rush of air go by, and his chest clears. Thinking fast, he focuses in on the air circling around them and channels it through his breathing. Drawing a familiar rune, he lets the wind build up in his throat until it's too clogged for him to breathe.

"Aspiro!" he shouts, and he pushes the power out and into the rune, and his breath transforms into a whirlwind technically strong enough to keep back an avalanche. It picks Zym up and lifts him enough for him to flap his wings again, and by the time his breath dies down, Zym is flying on his own.

Rayla and him cheer, and he throws his arms up into air in celebration. Zym reaches the gap in the rocks where light peeks through, and he stands tall and casts his shadow like a black beacon of hope. With no light blocking the way, the blue runes return to the rocks.

"We can see the path again! Run!" Rayla says, and she looks at him for a second with a smile that makes adrenaline pump in his veins, and they start dashing for the other side. Rayla reaches it a second before he does, and the solid land feels relieving under his feet, and he's in Xadia; they're in Xadia!

"We did it! We made it across!" he shouts, because they're finally there! In Xadia!

"Whoo! Yeah!" Rayla shares his enthusiasm, and they step together and throw their arms around each other in an embrace. He squeezes her close, and she holds him just as tight, and he revels in the feeling of her hair tickling his cheek and her arms around his shoulders and_ her,_ and they freaking did it! They did it!

Zym yips and splits them apart, and they both hold him between them. They lock eyes again, and their smiles are so wide his cheeks hurt, but the pure joy he feels makes up for it. It's just them now, like a happy little family.

Sunlight washes over them, and he basks in the warmth of it now that it's not trying to kill them, and Rayla leads them through the structures of rock around them. Callum can't crane his neck enough to see the top of the rock formations, but the arches are still beautiful, and he can feel a sort of hum in the air, like magic woven in with oxygen.

Rayla jogs a bit ahead of him and says, "This is it, Callum." She spreads her arms wide as if presenting the land like a gift. "Xadia!"

He's not sure whether the warmth in his chest is from the sun or her smile, but it feels great either way.

* * *

Temperatures in Xadia are a lot more extreme than they are in Katolis. The days are hot, sometimes boiling, and half the time he actually has to take off his jacket, but the nights are pitch black and freezing and he wishes he had _another_ jacket and gloves and a winter hat and a blanket.

Rayla makes a fire and they huddle in caves, but it's not enough sometimes. He tries to sit as close to the flames as he can get, and he cuddles Zym close to him while Rayla takes watch, but that night is particularly cold and Zym is too tired to sleep near Callum. The baby dragon curls up around his backpack and stays there, and Callum is left alone to shiver in the night.

Rayla is by the cave's entrance, eyes trained on the outside world. They've gotten closer over the past couple weeks; with no one else to talk to, the two of them practically know every basic fact about each other. He knows that her favorite color is actually purple and that she wears pants more often for convenience but doesn't mind skirts and her favorite food is moonberries and she likes them even more combined with sunberries in a smoothie, and she knows that Callum would stay awake until two am doodling or that he loves sitting out in the rain and that he hates history and science, isn't patient enough for language arts despite being so artsy, and doesn't mind math. He could probably pass a quiz on fun facts about Rayla, and the same goes for her for him.

He used to think that they would never get along, back when their adventure first started. He thought they were too different; she was an assassin, he always bumped into the corners of tables. She climbed trees and he liked the indoors more than being outside. He drew in his sketchbook and her handwriting was messy. He made dumb puns and she groaned and facepalmed. He thought the didn't share any common interests (turns out they do, they both enjoy cooking and more logical subjects like math and public speaking and being alone). He thought they wouldn't be able to agree on which direction to travel, let alone become friends.

But now, he can casually touch her on the shoulder and she can lace her fingers through his hand and lead him somewhere and he tells her about how Soren and the other guards always called him step-prince and she tells him about her lack of friends growing up and her mentors always arguing with her. He braids the sides of her hair, and she ruffles and messes up his, and sometimes while they're walking, he'll sling his arm around her shoulder, or she'll fall into step with him and hold his wrist.

And as he shivers and shakes and holds his arms close and tries to create some sort of warmth as he thinks throwing himself into the fire would feel nice, he decides_ 'screw it'_ and he gets up and walks over to her and plops himself down on the ground beside her.

"Whats up?" she asks. She peers down at him as he drapes his torso into her lap and wraps his arms around her neck.

"It's cold," he whines, shoving his face into her shoulder and adjusting himself so he's practically sitting on her.

She humors him and snakes her arms around his back, but his weight makes them topple backwards and they land against the cave floor. He's sprawled out on top of her with his head tucked under her chin, and her arms rest right over his hips. They stay like that, just for a moment, and he falls over to the side a little so he's laying next to her and not directly on top of her. The fire crackles, and Zym shifts in his sleep, and Callum closes his eyes and focuses on Rayla's warmth and her touch and her embrace.

He doesn't know how long they stay like that, but Rayla eventually breaks the peaceful silence with, "Callum?"

He hums in response, and she leans her head closer to his ear and softly whispers, "Goodnight."

He forgets about the chill of the night, and if he shivers, it's because of her voice in his ear.

* * *

Finally, three weeks into Xadia, they manage to find a town and more importantly, an inn.

They get one room; it's easier for them anyways. Callum can't leave once he washes off the berry juice on his face and takes off the fake stick horns and four-fingered gloves, and they would probably argue over who would keep Zym if they got separate rooms. Callum would rather not fight with her, especially when he's tired and wants nothing more than to feel a mattress under his body again. He never thought a clean bed would be something he would take for granted.

He shrugs off his backpack and leaves it by the door, along with his boots. Rayla does the same. He's never actually seen her without her shoes on, which isn't a huge deal because her leggings are simple and she has plain light blue socks on and he doesn't really care, but it's a random fact his tired mind focuses on. Callum takes off for the bathroom first while she flops onto the chair by a desk and Zym curls in her lap.

He washes off the pinkish-purple "marks" on his cheeks. Rayla had drawn quick lines to resemble elven marking with moonberry juice before they walked into town. By nightfall, it was crusty and broke apart with a bit of water. After that, he tosses off his cloak and the stick "horns" he had made, and then strips and steps into the shower.

The warm water felt so,_ so_ refreshing after almost a month of not being able to bathe in a proper shower instead of a stream. He scrubs off layers and layers of dirt along his arms and legs and uses the provided shampoo and runs his fingers through his hair. It's calming, tranquil, and there are no thoughts in his head as he focuses on the heat of the water and cleanliness of his skin.

Feeling generous, he leaves some warm water for Rayla and possibly Zym. He steps out and puts his shirt and pants back on, and then leaves to give Rayla a turn. He flops onto the bed, and Zym nestles near his head. He feels so much better now that he's clean, like a weight he didn't know was there was lifted off his shoulders.

By the time Rayla finishes her shower, Zym had fallen asleep on the chair, and Callum had propped himself up under the covers, doodling in his book. He had been drawing Zym and Rayla more often recently, specifically Rayla. He can't get enough of her happy expression or laughter or pure joy on the pages. It's even better to see in real life.

She wanders over to the other side of the bed and crawls under the covers. Callum closes his book, locks up the latch, and set it, along with his charcoal, on the nightstand, then he clicks the light off.

The two of them are too tired to care about anything other than sleeping. They had walked for nine hours straight to reach the town, and Callum's feet ache and his legs ache and his spirit aches, and he just wants to sink into the fluffy duvet and stay there, but alas, their journey would continue the next day.

Mindlessly, Callum scoots closer to the center of the bed and drapes his arm over Rayla's torso. She laces her fingers through his, and they lean their heads so close together, he can breathe the same air as her. They've been traveling together for so long and cuddling close on cold nights in dreary caves for_ so long_ they hardly even think about how in an inn, there's no reason to huddle together. They don't need extra warmth or to squish into a small space.

But Callum thinks that maybe, just maybe, he needs to be near her to fall asleep.

It's close for just friends, too close for just friends, and he knows it and thinks she does too, but neither of them care. He's never had a friendship or relationship like he does with her before. He's never been able to casually touch someone and huddle close with anyone and share secrets with someone other than Ezran, but Rayla doesn't feel like a sister to him. She doesn't feel like a friend either, but he's not sure what else there is. What they have is something special, something unique to only them and them alone. He can't define it within a box. She's his other half, and he's hers.

And in the morning, they wake up with their legs tangled together and their hands still holding each other's, and Rayla's head tucked in the crook of Callum's neck, and if he turned a centimeter to his right, he would be able to kiss her forehead. It's soft, he thinks, and he could stay there all day.

Then Zym climbs onto the bed and squeezes himself in between them, and their mission comes first. But Callum decides that once Zym is returned, his next goal is to find a way to wake up like that every morning.

* * *

It's raining one night, and they dash into town to try and find somewhere to stay. They're soaked to the bone, and Callum pulls down his hood as much as he can because his fake markings were washed away, and Rayla drags him through the heavy downpour and pitch black sky. Zym is reunited with his mother now, and the two of them are still nearby all the sky cities. The weather is wonky and changes often; it could be bright and sunny one day and cold and storming the next.

Although their clothes are wet, Rayla's grip never slips, even as he almost does several times. Lightning flashes through the sky, and Callum tastes metal in his mouth and electricity bubbles in his throat. The wind picks up and he has to use his free hand to hold his hood over his face before he's revealed. It's late, so there aren't many citizens around anyways, but someone could be watching through a window or be out still, and the paranoia wins over.

Rayla stops at one point, and Callum almost crashes into her. They're right by an alley between two buildings, one of which reads 'inn' on the sign. Callum guzzles down what air he can, exhausted from the hour of nothing but running until they found civilization. At the past town they had been to, his hood had gotten caught on a tree-branch, and the angry elves had followed them into the forest. They hadn't stopped running, even as they reached another village and night fell and rain started pouring down.

Rayla's ears twitch, and she yanks him by the collar of his cloak into the alley nearby. It's cramped and damp and he feels disgusting, but a figure walks past and panic rises in his throat, even though he knows it's most likely a villager from the town.

They sit there for a bit, panting and trying to catch their breath. Callum tries to breathe in air but only breathes in rain. He covers his nose with his free hand just so he can get oxygen in, but wind blows his hood away and Rayla reaches forward to tug it back down, and she drags him a bit further into the alley so they're completely hidden from view. He gasps and gags on rainwater, and Rayla holds his hood over his face and anxiously watches the opening to the alley.

Eventually, air returns naturally to him, and he can almost breathe normally again. There's a twinge of metal in the air, and he hears faint crackling in his ears, then lightning strikes overhead once more. It lights up Rayla's face, and he can see her violet eyes darting across his features, from his eyes to his cheeks to his head, and he sees them land on his lips. He finds his eyes mirroring the action.

They sit there, hunched over in an alley, cold and shivering and drenched, close enough to feel each other's breath, staring at each other's lips. Neither of them move, neither of them speak. Thunder screams overhead, air rushes past, rain soaks through their clothes, and without saying a word to each other, they both dart forward at the same time, crashing their lips against each other's.

He's been waiting for it, for her, for_ so_ long, and he thinks she's perfect, and her lips fit against his _perfectly,_ and he runs his fingers through her silky hair and puts his other hand on her back and holds her close, because even though they're pressed up against each other like puzzle pieces, she's _still_ not close _enough._ She loops one arm around his neck and props her elbow up on the wall next to him, and she leans forwards so she's balancing on his lap, and he tugs her closer, _closer,_ and she tastes like rainwater and moonberries and Rayla, and oh god, he's so in love.

He doesn't know how long they sit there; frankly, he doesn't care, but eventually, she puts her hands on the sides of his face and backs up and he follows, desperately trying to keep their lips together. She stands and he stands, and he pulls away for half a second because he needs air, but she's his air, and as she pants, out of breath, voice hoarse, she whispers "Are you sure you-"

He doesn't care what the rest of her question is. He slams his lips back into hers, and she answers by pushing him up against the wall. Her hands find their way to his scarf and she tugs his head up slightly, and then she's pressing her arms up against his chest, and then she's snaking them around his waist. His hands find their way to her hair and her horns, and he rubs his thumb across one like he would with her hands, and the sound she makes is so worth it. He tugs her closer and she all but falls against him, and he's so, _so_ in love, and_ god,_ she's so _perfect._

Someone stops, he's not sure who, and Rayla presses her forehead to his as Callum struggles to breathe again. He holds her by her hips and she pins him with her arms against the wall, and they take a moment to just admire each other. He loves her light eyes and her plum marks and rosy cheeks and arched brows and small nose and bruised lips, and he brushes his thumb over them in something like disbelief. He loves her, all of her, every inch and nook and cranny and god, he loves Rayla, so, _so_ much, and why he never acted on it before is beyond him.

Rayla offers him a small smile, and butterflies flutter in his stomach and he puts his hands on the sides of her face and tugs her back down to meet him. It's slower this time and less sloppy, and their lips slide over each other's like butter, but it's full of so much love and he tries to push all of his adoration into it because he doesn't think he can speak anymore.

When they pull away, Rayla boops her nose against his and entwines their hands together, and Callum nearly collapses on the spot because oh god, she's so _adorable_ and he's so full of love, and she tugs his hood back over his head (when it fell off, he doesn't know, nor does he care), and she drags his lovesick butt out of the alley and into the inn. He's too in awe to form coherent thoughts, much less sentences, and so Rayla does all the talking. She receives a room key and she nods in thanks and leads him up the stairs to the third floor, and he follows and stares at the way her damp hair swishes and the corners of her mouth curve when she glances at him and her hand fits so well into his, and she pushes him through a door and closes it behind them.

Wordlessly, he sits on the edge of the bed and watches as she places the key on a desk and wanders into the bathroom. When she emerges, she has a towel in her hand, and she walks over to him. She dabs his cheeks with the towel, and smiles so softly at him Callum melts, and he wants so badly to reach out and kiss her again, but she quietly shakes her head and murmurs, "Wait."

So he does. She dries his hair and his hands and she peels his jacket off his shoulders and tries to dry his shirt to the best of her abilities. When she reaches his scarf, she hesitates, hovering over it. He nods slightly, and she unravels it from his neck and dries the skin underneath. He won't be fully dry with a single towel, but it's good enough to lay on the bed without creating a puddle. She kneels down and tugs off his shoes for him, then throws his clothes into a pile by the door.

She holds the towel out to him, and he blinks, still not able to process things properly. "Will you do the honors?"

He slowly takes the towel from her hands, still too in shock to really think straight, and she shrugs off her vest and stands in front of him. He stands up too, and he loops the towel around his hand and dusts off her cheeks first, just like she did for him. Then he moves to her hair, and he methodically works his way through it, squeezing the ends and ruffling it up a little. Mindlessly, he tucks a lock of her hair behind her ear. She gazes down at him, and she looks so pretty, because she is so pretty, and Callum can't take it anymore.

He drops the towel and throws his arms around her neck, bringing his lips against hers once more. It's just as electrifying as the first and second and third time, and butterflies stir in his stomach and he thinks he might burst. Rayla, for all her efforts to wait until they were dry and comfortable, melts into his touch and places her hands in his hair. She breathes his name against his lips and he almost has a heart attack because it fits so nice in her accent, and he whispers hers, and she kisses him like he's her only source of air. At the same time, he takes a step back and she takes a step forward, and they topple onto the bed at the same time, Rayla sprawled over him.

They pause for a second, wondering how they went from kissing to laying on top of each other, but then Rayla props herself up on her elbows, peeks down at him, and a giggle bubbles out of her mouth. Then she's full on laughing, and he is too although he's not sure what he's laughing at, but he thinks it's more of a happy laugh then because something is funny. Her eyes crinkle and sparkle and her smile is so wide, and Callum thinks he didn't fall in love, no, he toppled off the mountain and landed right in her arms.

And he wouldn't like to be anywhere else.

* * *

Callum thinks nothing of it when he wakes up in an inn bed with his chin tucked under Rayla's and her hand around his, and then he remembers the previous night and love fills his heart once again.

She kissed him. Or he kissed her, he's not really sure, but the details don't matter. He remembers her touch and her taste and her beauty, she kissed him back and now she's sleeping next to him, and god, he's so, so in love.

Her eyes flutter open, and her head is close enough where he can tilt his head and kiss her chin. And now, he can, so he does, softly. She peers down at him, too tired to think about anything, and all the feelings of wanting to be closer to her come flooding back. He twists around so his stomach is to hers, and he props himself on his elbows by the sides of her head and simply looks at her. Her eyes are half-lidded and sleepy in the morning but still as charming as ever, and her cheeks are dusted a light pink and he wishes he could squish them. Her eyes flicker up to meet his, and he leans down and presses their lips together.

Butterflies fly through his chest again, because even though it's barely been one night, he's missed this so much. She slowly trails her hand up his side and he shivers, and she stops when she reaches his hair. She works her hand into his scalp, and he melts more into her. Somehow, his lips find their way to her cheeks, and then her forehead, and then her nose, and then back to her lips again, and she tastes like moonberries and a little bit of rain and everything he's ever wanted.

After a few moments, she pushes him back slightly, and their lips part. She licks her lips, and Callum almost dives in again, but she says, "Hold on, sad prince, I've gotta get up first."

He pouts but respects her boundaries, and he slides off of her and she sits up. He watches her stand and make her way over to the bathroom. Before she closes the door, she winks at him, and his face sets itself on fire. She disappears behind the door.

He's a hopeless mess, he thinks, but it's so worth it. _She's_ so worth it.

* * *

At the next inn, Callum pushes her against the door and locks his lips with hers.

They hadn't been in another town for a week, and they had been sleeping on cave floors for far too long for his liking. Kissing her in a dark, depressing cave was nowhere near as fun as in a furnished, actually lit up inn. He had been waiting for too long; he settled for stealing kisses when she wasn't expecting it and kissing her goodnight by a fire and her randomly tugging him close and kissing him for a second and then shoving him away (the tease), and one time she pushed him up against a tree and kissed him and he couldn't speak for a few minutes afterwards, but he really wants to kiss her for real, where they don't have to worry about some wild banther about to snatch them up or keeping his race a secret.

So he itches with excitement and anticipation as she speaks to the innkeeper and receives a key. She leads him to their room on the fourth floor that time, and as soon as she closes and locks the door, he shrugs off his backpack and backs her up against it and crashes his lips into hers.

She answers him with as much passion as he had, and she looped her arms around his neck and lets him take the lead for once. He pins her with one arm on the door and the other one wrapped around her waist, and he bounces from her lips to her cheeks to her nose to her forehead, and then, gathering confidence, he leans forwards and brushes his lips over the point of her ear.

She inhales sharply, and he smiles with satisfaction. He returns to her lips, moving against them slower and deeper. She moves her hand to grab his scarf and tugs it off, letting it flutter to the floor. She pushes up against him and he backs away, and she tugs him by the collar over to the center of the room. Then, she yanks off his jacket, and he takes off her vest, and she drapes her arms across his shoulders and he falls backwards, hitting the fluffy bed.

She sits in his lap while he sits up, and she makes her way down to his neck. He runs his fingers through the strands of his hair while she kisses different spots, and he gasps as she finds the right one. She smiles into the kiss and then returns to his lips, and he finds himself smiling too because _wow,_ he loves her so much, and she's so perfect and pretty and he was so, _so_ in love.

She pulls back for a second, resting her forehead against his, close enough to breathe on his nose, and he softly murmurs, "I love you so, so much."

She laughs, breathy and hoarse and his heart swells, and she flicks her nose against his and whispers, "I love you too."

He circles his arms around her and tugs her back so their laying on the bed and he embraces her so tight because his heart is so full of love, and she chuckles and runs her fingers through his hair, and she's so _perfect,_ and he says, "I love you," again just because he can, and he presses his lips against hers for a second before saying, "I love you," _again,_ and he does it over and over just because he can and he's got a lot of love to give.

Rayla cuts him off by kissing him deeply, and he melts under her touch because _god,_ she's so_ perfect._

* * *

They're older now; he's eighteen, she's nineteen, he's an archmage, she's a well known diplomat. They're still in Xadia; Callum had to stay for magic training, and Rayla chose to follow him on their travels. They bounced from town to town as Callum learned to master the primal sources and she spoke to other elves about peace.

One night, they're walking through her hometown together, him slightly ahead and her trailing behind. Rayla's hair shimmers and her eyes have more of a glint that night; it's the anniversary of them hatching Zym, and it feels important somehow. They chat about little random things like they used. He talks about his magic and she talks about the town and he asks about the meetings and she wonders about the differences between human and elven food, and Callum switches the conversation to something he's wanted to ask for a while.

"So, do elves ever get married?" he asks, basking in the moonlight. They had talked about stuff like that before; he had explained human customs, but she had never really explained elven ones.

"Not exactly," she replies, keeping pace with him. "Usually, elves just kinda... do things you wouldn't normally do with friends, and they just know. Like for example, their mate will braid each other's hair. That's something elves only do if their close, like if they were 'married.'"

Callum hums, but then a memory flashes through his mind.

_'He runs his fingers through the strands of her hair, and he winds up braiding them together.'_

"So, then aren't we married?" he questions.

Rayla shrugs. "I never really thought it counted since you're a human, but I guess we're halfway done. Though if we really want to do that, we should probably do it the human way too."

He nods because that makes sense, but he supposes they're already part of the way there, and the words tumble out of his mouth before he can stop them. "I guess we'll have to get married then."

Rayla stops in her tracks, and he pauses, the realization of what he just said dawning on him. They could get married. They could get_ married._ He turns to look at her, and she's staring wide-eyed at him, but there was something else in her eyes. "For real?" she breathes.

A grin breaks out across his face. "Yeah. Yeah, do you want to?"

She smiles as well. "Yeah."

Warmth floods through his chest. He dashes over and grips her hands in his. "Yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"Let's get married?"

She nods quickly, smiling brighter than the moon. "Yeah, lets do it!"

"Yeah?"

"Yeah!"

"Yeah!" Callum exclaims, and he rushes forwards and collides his lips with hers, and she snakes her hands up into his hair, and the moon makes her lips taste even more like berries and her hair feel even slicker in his fingers, and she's so beautiful and he's so lucky, and he's going to_ marry_ her, the girl who he thought was pretty from the start and he tried to cheer up on a boat and was glad he survived a storm and hugged him tight when they reached Xadia and kissed him in the rain by an inn and who he loves so, so much, and maybe, just maybe, they can forget about the tensions between humans and elves and just be _together._

Excitement floods through his chest when he looks at her, because oh god, he's going to marry her, and they are going to be _married,_ and he's going to get to spend the rest of his life with her, perfect_ her,_ and he's so,_ so_ happy, and at every chance he gets he makes sure to call her his fiancé, because holy crap, she's his_ fiancé._

He wants to do a proper engagement, but there are no engagement rings in Xadia because of their differences in customs, so he settles for dangling their legs off a mountain as the sun sets and reaching for his fiancé's, his _fiancé's,_ hand and telling her he loves her as he kisses her for the millionth time. Even after they've done it so many times, her lips still bring butterflies to his stomach, and he thinks it's his favorite feeling and_ she's_ his favorite feeling and he could get used to the fluttering in his chest for the rest of his life.

God, he wishes elves get engaged because he wants to tell anyone who would listen that he and Rayla are _engaged,_ and he would scream it from the rooftops if he could because he's so, so in love with her, his _fiancé,_ and he can't believe that they're going to get _married._ Holy crap, they're going to get _married!_

They lay in bed one night and Callum whispers, "We're going to get married," and Rayla whispers, "I know," and then they giggle about it to themselves while moonlight flutters though the window.

Since they technically got engaged in Xadia, they decide to get married in Katolis, which they would have to do anyways because no one in Xadia provides that kind of service. They cross over the Border using the same path they used to get in all those years ago, and Rayla laces their fingers together and whispers, "We're going to get married," as they watch the sun come up.

They find a small shop in a town near the Border because Callum wants to get married before they returns to the capital of Katolis so the court can't stop them, and Rayla doesn't want a huge wedding anyways. The woman who runs the store is peaceful with the elves and lets them choose their rings, and since they never technically got engagement rings, they pick those too. Callum chooses a simple gold ring with a ruby and Rayla chooses a silver one with diamonds. He pays with Xadian coins because she takes both human and elven money, and the shop owner leads them to her husband, who is legally allowed to officiate their "wedding."

They leave giggling to themselves and pointing to the rings on each other's fingers while whispering, "We're married," over and over again to one another, and when they finally stop walking, Rayla tugs him by his scarf into a kiss and when she pulls away, she stares at him and exclaims, "Oh my god, you're my husband."

Callum gazes at Rayla, perfect Rayla, with her plum markings and rosy cheeks and perfect lips and says, "You're my wife."

Then they giggle like schoolgirls about it some more, and Callum kisses her and whispers, "I love you," and Rayla whispers, "I love you too," and they trade kisses and jokes and sit on the grass and look up at the sky and point to clouds and he admires the glint of gold and silver on her finger and he's so, so in love, and maybe, just maybe, his worries float away, and he thinks he wouldn't trade her for anything in the world.

* * *

They waltz through the gates of Katolis hand in hand, and he waves to the guards as they bow and shakes Soren's hand while they pass by, and then Rayla tugs him into the city itself and they gaze at the streets. Markets and houses are lined up along stone pathways just like how it used to be, and the castle looms in the distance. It's a far walk from where they're standing, but they've walked farther, and with a hand squeeze, Callum brings her into town.

Citizens bow their heads as they pass, and a group of kids walks up to them and asks about Rayla's ears and horns and fingers, and they ask about the rings and they coo when she say she's married and ask who to, and she peers back at Callum, who's talking to the parents, with a loving expression on her face as the kids bombard her with questions and mocking kissing noises as kids do.

Callum eventually leads her away with a wave to the kids, and some of them wink over-exaggeratedly at him and he raises an eyebrow at Rayla, who shrugs innocently, and he shakes his head with a smile and starts jogging.

At one point, a little girl with brown skin and chocolatey hair approaches them shyly. She asks if Rayla is an elf and when she says yes, she is, the girl lights up and says her father is one too, and her mother waves and curtseys from her position by the door, and Callum's heart swells because there's a half human half elf child in front of him and he wonders if him and Rayla could ever have that too.

Eventually, they pass through the whole town and begin the hike up to the castle. They chat along the way, and when Rayla sees no one is looking, she pecks his cheek or his nose or his forehead and if he protests, she kindly reminds him that they're married now and he melts in front of her and says he can't argue with that logic.

The guards allow them to pass through the gates, and thinking of a joke to play, he asks them to not tell anyone of their arrival. They agree, and Callum pulls Rayla behind a tree while giggling and informs her of his plan and then leans in and kisses her lips while they're blocked from view and no one can stop them.

They sneak through the halls of the castle, Rayla working on keeping them quiet and unnoticeable and Callum trying to navigate them around to where he guesses Ezran will be. They reach the plan room, or at least, the plan room when Callum was there years ago, and they crouch down and he covers Rayla's mouth while she giggles, kisses her hand with the rings, and knocks on the door.

Opeli's voice answers him. "We are currently busy."

He looks at Rayla, who's fully stood now and trying her hardest not to laugh. He grabs her wrist and says, "It's urgent!"

There's some shuffling behind the door and what sounds like someone asking for permission, and then Opeli is tugging open the door with an exasperated look on her face that fades once she sees who is behind it. "Prince Callum," she announces, and she curtseys politely.

"Callum?" Ezran's voice perked up, and when Opeli moves aside, he sees his brother standing in front of a table, tall and with slightly longer hair and a crown atop his head, and Callum is flooded with tears because he looks _so much_ like King Harrow.

Ezran runs forward and Callum drops Rayla's hand to hug him. Ezran is up to his shoulders now, and Callum barley has to lean down to embrace him. God, he's missed him, it's been what, four years? That's four years too long. Ezran buries his head in Callum's shoulder and he wraps his arms tightly around his back and hums.

"Hey, don't forget about me!" Rayla exclaims, a smile on her face, and she crashes into the two and wraps one arm around them both. Callum loops one of his around her shoulders, and happiness fills his chest because their trio is back together again.

They separate, and Callum places his hands on both of Ezran's shoulders. "You're so tall," he comments.

"Almost as tall as you," Rayla quips.

Ezran laughs and wipes a tear from the corner of his eye. "It's been so long. I'm so glad you're back."

Callum tilts his head and clasps his hands in front of him. "It's good to be back."

Ezran smiles up at him and his eyes flicker to the movement of his hands and then back to his face, but then he exclaims, "Wait a minute," and grabs Callum's hand in his own. Rayla snorts and covers her mouth.

Ezran looks up at Callum in disbelief. "You're married?" he asks, and then he looks over to the snickering Rayla and sees the matching rings on her hand and his eyes widen and he exclaims, "You two are married?!"

Callum can't contain his laughter anymore, and he drops his head into Rayla's shoulder as she tries to stifle her own giggling. Ezran looks between the two in bewilderment. "I- wha- congratulations but what? When? How?"

Rayla pats Callum's shoulder. "Well, it's a funny story."

Ezran crosses his arms and raises an eyebrow. "I've got time. Come on in."

Rayla follows him into the room, Callum close behind, and he shuts the door behind him. Opeli looks at him in shock, but he's too happy to care, and Ezran sits in his chair and Rayla turns back to him and holds her hand out, and god, Callum loves them with all of his heart, and he thinks that after everything is said and done and he tells Ezran their story and says hello to everyone he hasn't seen in a while, he and Rayla can have a normal future like normal adults and settle in a normal house with a normal life, and they can finally stop running from town to town trying desperately to prevent a war and promote peace, and they can _finally_ find peace for themselves with each other.

Yeah. Yeah, that sounds pretty good.

Impatiently, but still with a smile, Rayla says, "I'm waiting."

Callum grins, and he take her hand in his, and Callum loves Rayla so, so much, and he can't believe he gets to be with her and love her and settle down with her and kiss her and _live_ with her, and he can tell that he looks all lovestruck and dumb but he doesn't care because god, Rayla is so amazing and pretty and_ perfect._

But that mushy stuff can come later. They have the rest of their lives for that.

Callum smiles at Ezran, and he begins, "So, it's actually a funny story..."

He didn't think they would ever get along. Heck, he didn't think he'd ever see her face again after he escaped her blades through a painting. Even as their adventure progressed, he never thought they would be close. He figured they would return the egg to Xadia, say their goodbyes, and go their separate ways. They were just too different to be friends, let alone anything beyond that.

But as Rayla makes snarky comments and they playfully argue back and forth when he talks about them getting married ("Don't blame me, you agreed!" "Well you asked!") and Ezran coos at all the sappy bits and mocks how in love with each other they are because it's sickeningly sweet, Callum thinks that maybe, just maybe, he couldn't see his life going any other way.

* * *

**End Notes :**

***wowie**

***i don't usually like marriage fics but here we are**

***im half a second away from dedicating a whole series to just ways rayllum can get married and tell people they're married**

***i just realize i use the same three phrases like 92726251717 times oops**

***i set my goals to big and i really wanted to write 10,000 words cuz it's a nice number but i didn't think I actually would,,,,**

***so anyways i was wrong**

***uhhhh reviews always make me super happy even if i don't reply cuz im big shy and feel like saying thank you over and over gets repetitive and loses its meaning (does anyone else feel like that?) but uh yeah**

***ok bye**


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